Apparatus and method for creasing bags



April 18, 1939. w. F. HABAS ET AL 2,154,743

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREASING BAGS Filed Dec. 31, 1937 4 Shee ts-She t 1 F g @022 W 60 f 20 hg II; a

55 k & i I2 4 7/ ZEMEUY EH5 K 428? f/zkas Hans flfiwwe r- April 1939. w. F. HABAS ET AL- 2,154,743

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREASING BAGS Filed Dec. 31, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 P 1939- w. F. HABAS ET AL 2,154,743

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREASING BAGS Filed Dec. 31, 193'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l 2 I I 57 58 5 EM E5755; "wife 2 2- fia a/s UNITED STATES Patented Apr. 115, 1939 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREASING BAGS Walter F. Habas and Hans A. Bauer, Chicago, Ill.,

assignor to B. F. Gump 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application December 31, 1937, Serial No. 182,654

16 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for creasing the ends of bags.

It is well known that before a filled paper ba can be folded at its neck portion it is necessary to tuck in the end walls and/or crease or score the same so that as the empty neck portion is folded, the end portions will fold inwardly instead of outwardly and the folds will occur upon properly defined lines.

In the past, various devices have been used for tucking in and/or creasing the upper end walls of a paper bag among which may be mentioned cooperating dies, or levers.

It is an object of this invention to avoid the use of mechanical means for creasing the end walls of a paper bag and using pneumatic means for expanding the bag and causing the end walls to crease along proper and converging lines so that the neck portion of the bag can be properly folded thereafter.

The invention more particularly includes means for passing air into an empty bag and expanding the same while the mouth of the bag is held in clamped position against the egress of the air.

The invention comprises the novel structure,

method and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views,

Fig. 1 is an elevatlonal view of a bag creasing unit involving this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line III-III of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing parts in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a part of the unit illustrating certain steps in the operation of the unit in applying air within a paper bag, and showing in dotted lines an expanded paper bag.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially upon the line VI-VI of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view taken substantially upon the line VIIVII of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing parts in elevation and parts in section.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially upon the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially upon the line IX-IX of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially upon the line X-X of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of an end of a paper bag illustrating the manner in which it is creased according to this invention.

7 In referring now to the drawings, which, it will be understood, illustrate the chosen embodiment of this invention, the numeral I indicates a supporting base or pedestal having a bracket 2 extending from one side. from the base and carry a casting 4 at their upper ends for sustaining the operating mechanism of the machine. One of the standards 3 carries an arm 5 that supports a vertically extending rod 6 having a bag platform or runway l at its upper end.

Suitable standards 3 rise Upon the casting 4, there is a platform 4a that carries a vertical bearing 8 (Fig. 4) in ,which a driving shaft 9 is journalled. A bevel gear I0 is secured to the upper end of said shaft. The bevel gear l0 meshes with and drives a bevel gear ll secured upon a horizontal shaft l2 that is journalled in a bearing l3 integral with the hearing 8 and in a bearing l4 carried by a standard l5 rising from the platform. Upon the shaft l2 are secured the spaced cams l6 and I! to which reference will be made later.

Spaced inwardly from the standard l5 there is another standard l8 rising from the base 4a and which has a bearing l8a in which a shaft l9 (Fig. 1) is journalled. A bevel gear is secured upon the shaft l9 and this bevel gear meshes with and drives a bevel pinion 2| secured upon a shaft 22.

The shaft l9 carries a crank arm 23 at its outer end as best shown in Fig. 10. The crank arm carries a pin 24 that extends into a slot 25 in one end of a lever 26 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 21 projecting from the standard la. The unnotched end of the lever 26 carries a roller 28 that is in engagement with the cam I! on shaft I2.

It will be noted that cam I! has a raised portion Ila and a second raised portion l'lb that are adapted to coact with the roller 28 for imparting two rocking movements to shaft l9 through the lever 26 and crank arm 23. The movement imparted by the raised portion I'Ia will impart a sufiicient rotation to shaft 22 to elevate a bag 29 for engaging the mouth of the bag with the air pipe 30 as shown in Fig. 5 as will later more fully appear.

In referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that a bag magazine 3| is suitably supported upon the frame work of the machine. This magazine comprises two curved and spaced bottom plates 32 and side plates 33 which are secured to the standards 34--35. The standards 34 constitute side arms of a U-shaped bracket 36 secured to and supported upon a plate 31, and

the standards 35 constitute the arms of a U- shaped bracket 38 likewise secured to the plate 3] in spaced relation to the bracket 36. The sides 35 of the bracket 38 are welded or secured to bearings 39 (Fig. 7) rigid on the upright rods 40 which are secured to the forementioned bracket 2. The plate 31 is supported upon supports 4| also'extending from the bracket 2.

In order to retain the bags in upright position within the magazine 3|, the side arms or bars 35 of bracket 38 are provided with suitable clips 42 (Fig. 7) that form lips extending toward each other that are adapted for engaging the side edges of the foremost bag in the magazine.

The foremost bag in the magazine is adapted to be elevated for engaging its mouth with the air pipe 30 as shown in full lines in Fig. 5. The bag elevating mechanism consists of a slide 43 (Fig. 7) which has bearings 44 slidably mounted upon the rods 40. A stud 45 is carried by the slide 43 and this stud has a reduced portion 46 above the slide. A plate 41 is secured upon the reduced portion 46 of the stud 45 and this plate extends in parallel relation with the slide. Upon the rear side of the plate 41 there is a shoulder 48 that can pass between the plates 32. This shoulder 48 is merely a narrow ledge designed to engage only the bottom of the foremost bag 29 for elevating the same when the slide 43 is elevated.

The slide 43 is pivotally connected to a pair of levers 49 which are provided with slots 50 in their ends for engaging pivot pins 5| on the sides of the slide 43 as shown in Figs. 1 and '7. The levers 49 are connected for conjoint movement. To this end, they are secured at their rear ends to a rod 52 which is suitably journalled upon the plate 31. An adjustable link 53 is pivotally connected to one of the levers 49 at its lower end. The upper end of the link is pivotally connected to a crank arm 54 rigidly secured upon the end of the shaft 22.

When the arc 11a of the aforementioned cam I T engages the lever 26, the shaft l9 will be rocked for imparting a partial rotation to shaft 22 for elevating the slide 43 to the position shown in full lines Fig. 7, in which position the mouth of the bag will be partially telescoped over the air pipe 30. As the cam 11 continues to rotate, the are ill) will engage the lever 26 and swing crank 23 further to the right for again rotating shaft [9 and rotating shaft 22 further for elevating the slide 43 and the bag 29 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. A spring 14 connected to crank arm 23 will act to return shaft 22 to its original position.

When the bag is completely elevated, a pair of lever arms 55 are brought together for tightly clamping in an air tight manner the mouth of the bag against the air pipe 30 to preclude the exit of air through the mouth of the bag. To this end, the lower ends of the lever arms carry rubber or flexible pads 56 which are formed with confronting grooves 51 (Fig. 8) to receive the air pipe 30. These lever arms 55 are secured at their upper ends to shafts 58 journalled in a carriage 59 to which reference will later be made. The outer ends of the shafts 58 have rigidly secured thereto crank arms 60 which carry rollers 6| at their free ends.

Upon the forementioned shaft 22, there is a cam 62 which is of substantially wedge shape for engaging between the rollers 6| for swinging the crank arms 60 in opposite directions, an operation which will rock shafts 56 in opposite direction and force the lever arms 55 together for tightly clamping the neck of the bag against the air pipe 30 and tightly closing the mouth of the bag. A spring 60a contracts the arms 60.

After the bag is clamped against the air pipe 39 it is shifted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which position it is directly over the support or runway I. For this purpose, the carriage 59 is slidable upon shaft 22 and also upon two supporting rods 63 which extend from the top of a standard 64 rising from the base 4a.

In order to slide or shift the carriage 59, it is connected to a link 65 (Figs. 2 and 9) which in turn is connected to an arm 66 secured upon a shaft 61 to which a lever arm 68 is secured that is in operative relation with the cam I6 upon shaft l2. A spring 13 connected to the arm 66 and the frame of the machine becomes effective at a predetermined time for rocking shaft 61 and causing the shifting of the carriage 59 to the right as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The cam l6 returns the parts to their original position.

When the bag is in its clamped position and has been shifted as above described, a valve within the housing 69 (Fig. 1) is actuated for opening the air pipe 39 for admitting air into the bag. The valve stem 10 extending from the valve within the housing 69 is adapted to be actuated by a cam H on the inner end of the shaft l2, a spring 12 surrounding the valve stem is designed to close the valve as is common in such valve constructions.

The valve housing 69 may be connected to an air pump P or any suitable source of air under pressure. It will be noted that the air pipe 30 embodies a flexible section between the valve housing 69 and the bearing 59 and a rigid portion in the form of a metal tube 30a that extends through the bearing 59 and therebelow for entering the bag.

When the empty bags are placed in the magazine, they are folded flat with the upper end portions folded inwardly. When the neck of a bag is clamped about the air pipe as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and air is blown into the bag through pipe 30a, the bag will expand as shown in Fig. 6, and creases 15 (Fig. 11) will be formed in the ends of the bag due to the pressure exerted against the clamped portion. The creases at each end of the bag will converge as shown in Fig. 11 and will define the lines upon which the bag will be folded. The machine is automatic in its operation in that it will first elevate an empty bag from the magazine and guide it to the air pipe and engage the pipe in the mouth of the bag. The clamping members 55 will then be operated to clamp the neck of the bag about the air pipe. The carriage 59 will then be shifted to the right over the runway 1 so that it will be free from the magazine and can be readily expanded by air pressure for creasing the end walls. As pressure is exerted against the clamped neck of the bag and the ends expand, the creases 15 will be formed.

The method herein involved simply consists in holding or clamping the mouth of a paper bag in an air tight manner, a thing which can be done by the hands or fingers, and blowing air through an unclamped portion of the mouth of the bag to expand the bag and crease the end walls thereof.

From the foregoing, it .will be apparent that a novel form of means and method have been provided for creasing the end walls of paper bags so that the same can be properly folded.

We are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an apparatus for creasing the end walls of a bag, an air pipe, 9. bag magazine, means for elevating the foremost bag in said magazine and telescoping the same over said air pipe, means for clamping the mouth of said bag about said pipe, means for laterally shifting the clamped bag and means for automatically controlling the flow of air through said pipe.

2. In an apparatus for creasing the end walls of a bag, an air pipe for supplying air interiorly of the bag for expanding the same, and means for clamping the mouth of the bag against said pipe and closing the said mouth of the bag against the escape of air during the expanding of said bag.

3. In an apparatus for creasing the end walls of a bag, a bag magazine, a carriage, an air pipe carried by said carriage, means for elevating a bag and telescoping its mouth portion over said air pipe, a pair of clamping members pivoted upon said carriage, means for simultaneously actuating said clamping members fonclamping the mouth portion of said bag against said pipe, means for shifting said carriage and means for controlling the flow of air through said pipe.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, an air pipe, a bag magazine, means for conveying a bag from said magazine and telescoping the same upon said pipe, means for clamping the mouth of said bag against said pipe in an air tight manner, and means for controlling the flow of air through said pipe.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, an air supply pipe, a bag magazine, means for conveying a bag from said magazine and telescoping the same upon said pipe, clamping members, and means for simultaneously actuating said clamping members against the sides of the mouth of said bag in an air tight manner, and means for transmitting air into said bag..

6. In an apparatus of the class described, an air pipe, a bag magazine, means for conveying a bag in stages from said magazine and telescoping the same upon said pipe, clamping members and means for simultaneously actuating said clamping members for clamping the mouth of said bag against said pipe in an air tight manner, and means for transmitting a blast of air through said pipe.

7. In an-apparatus of the class described, a bag magazine adapted for containing bags in upright position, means for elevating a bag from said magazine, means for tightly clamping the mouth of the bag in elevated position, means for laterally shifting the bag, and means for blasting air into the bag for expanding and creasing the same. I

8. The method of creasing the end walls of a paper bag which consists in pinching the mouth of the bag in an air tight manner but leaving a small opening therein and blowing air into said opening for expanding the bag for forming end creases therein.

9.Themethodof w for relatively moving the-bag and member into theendwallsota paperbagwhichconsistsin closingthemmrth ofthebagbutleavinganairinletand blowing air into said inlet passage to expand the bag for creasing the end walls.

10. 'Ihemethodof creasingtheendwallsotan 5 initially collapsed bag which comprises clamping the bag at its month end between parallel surfaces, other surfaces at right angles and adjacent to the parallel surfaces, and then pneumatically forcing the adjacent unclamped portion of the bag against the said other surfaces for creasing the end walls.

11. The method; of creasing the end walls at an initially collapsed bag which comprises pinching the endwallsofthebagtocloseitsmonth, and then while maintaining said walls pinched applying a pressure internally of the bag to forcibly deflect the wall portions adjacent the pinched portions to form creases therein. a

12. The method of opening and creasing an 20 initially substantially flat collapsed bag which comprises pinching the adjacent end wall portions of the bag together to close its mouth, and then while maintaining these wall portions together pneumatically expanding the bag for 25 forming creases in said end. walls for maintaining the bag distended whentheendwallsare released.

13. The method of opening a collapsed bag having opposed inwardly folded sides 30 between parallel opposed sides, which comprises applying pressure against the latter sides at the open end of the bag to force them together, and then while holding said sides together pneumatically expand the bag to force the inwardly folded sides outwardly and form creases at the unpaend of the bag for maintaining the bag when the applied pressures are withdrawn.

14. Inanapparatusofthecharactel' a magazine adapted to contain a plm'ality of collapsed bags, a tubular member, means for relatively moving the foremost bag of the magazine and the memberinapath forbringingthem into telescoped relation,-, means for closing the mouth of the bag around said munber, means for moving the closed bag away from said path, andmeansincludingsaidmemberfor air to the interior of the bag.

15. Inan apparamsofthecharactermcribed, a collapsed bag, a tubular member,

telescoped relation, means for closlngthommflh of thebag abolrtsaid member and fliebagindependingpositiommeansforlatenlb' moving the closed bag. means for controllingan airsupplytosaidmember,andmeansforreleg sing said first means, whereby thebag nay descend zmder its weight to a delivery position.

16.1Znanapparatusofthecharacterdescribed. a e adapted to contain a plurality d collapsedbagaanelentorfornlsingtheforemostbagoftheandteliton thetubularmembenamonblesupportinehlding meanstorreleaslnglygripplngtheopmcndd thebag,mcansformovingsaidsupporttoearry thebagawayfromsaidelevatonandmeamineluding said member for blast of alrtotheinterioroftheblnsaidflrstmeam whenreleamdenablingthebagtogravitltetoa deliverypositlmspaeedfromsaldelentor.

WAL'IIR I. name.

HANSLBAUIB. 

